No heroes at Google
Commentary: Search giant already missed the chance to take a stand
By Brett Arends, WSJ.com
BOSTON (MarketWatch) -- Let's cut the "heroes" routine at Google Inc.
The time for the Google /quotes/comstock/15*!goog/quotes/nls/goog (GOOG 581.17, -8.68, -1.47%) boys to take a stand for freedom in China was four years ago, when they first went into the country. Instead, with renminbi signs in their eyes, they cut a deal in order to get into the lucrative, fast-growing Chinese market.
(It's possible the Google executives were guilty of hubris more than greed. It doesn't really matter. They cut a deal).
And they had a second chance just two years ago, when a motion was proposed to the annual Google stockholders meeting that would have marked a ringing endorsement of freedom. It was put forward by New York City Comptroller Bill Thompson (later the rival candidate for the mayor's office against Mike Bloomberg.) Thompson was acting on behalf of New York's pension funds, which had a substantial stake in Google. Read more about Google's upcoming financial results.